XC Help please...

[Starbucks]

Badger is feeling fantastic XC now, he's really bold and powerful!

However, we are having a few problems with with narrow fences stuck in the middle of a field, he keeps ducking out, then comes round and jumps them great!

He used to run out show jumping a bit, but has got the hang of that now, He is used to his hunting so will jump anything that is wide or set in a fence line... it's so frustrating!

he doesn't spook but just seems to think they are in the way of his galloping!

So, any tips on things i can do in the school to improve him and how to ride these fences?? I think lack of control has something to do with it... I've insisted in riding him in a snaffle so far because he is generally going and jumping so well, but my brakes and steering aren't the best.

any help would be fab!

 

[wizoz]

I watched WFP once in a training session and it was on narrow fences. What he did was to make a fence with short poles but high wings, he started it not too narrow but gradually got narrower, then took away the wings and so on. He ended jumping over an upturned black bin!

It was on Moon Man

but it just goes to show that with the right training, these horses will do what is asked of them

 

[Mel85]

When my mare first started xc schooling she was very wobbly to skinnies and would try and duck out. I went to one hunter trial - probably one of the first she'd done - and I had real trouble at an arrowhead - it took 10 attempts to get over it, but I wasn't going to give up! After that I built lots of corners and arrowheads in the school using poles against the sides of the fences and on the floor to guide her so that she understood. We built up to jumping single barrels on end with no poles etc She is now absolutely fab on a line - never moves off it and I totally trust her to any skinny fence!

Perserve and above all - NEVER let him win the game! If he ducks out left, turn him back to the right to approach the fence etc and don't give up until he's given in. If it is cheekiness they can be quite stubborn! It is worth putting the work in though as a silly run out is SOOOO frustrating! Good luck

 

[Starbucks]

Thanks guys!!

He is just a cheeky begger, I think he just thinks, "well that isn't a jump, lets go round and we'll get there faster!"

It normally really bothers me if I have a stop or a run out but he's really giving me a good feeling, and he was a bit slow with the SJ but we've got it together with that now so I have hope!

He's going to have to be a disciplined horsey!

 

[Shrimp]

I agree with the others it is just practise. What ive done at home is to put a row of 5 multijump blocks (if you have them) and put V poles on either side to guide. Gradually take the the poles away and then reduce the number of blocks. Shrimp struggled with 3 but he will quite happily jump 2 now (quite narrow!) . My aim is to jump a single block one day....

 

[Starbucks]

Thank you!

I'm not even really at skinny level yet - just crap intro/hunter trial portables if you know what i mean.

good to here other peoples horses struggle with them, we're used to my mums horse who is a saint but they're not all like that are they!

 

[kerilli]

training at home over skinnies, obviously, with a smacked bottom if he ducks out. also, upright 2 strides to a skinny, is a very good one.
i've found that slowing right down and coming in trot a few times, and giving them absolutely no chance at all to run out, gets them out of the habit of thinking naughty thoughts. a few time penalties is much better than 20 for a run-out.
if he always runs out to the same side, hold your whip on that side and just give him a light tap or two on the shoulder about 20-10 strides out (not too close, or he might take that as an excuse to shoot sideways away from the fence and the whip!) to remind him that it's there.

 

[KatB]

I know which one you had a run out at at Winkburn....it wasnt pleasant!! Am lucky that G is prety straight now, but I find when riding into it, how Ive taught G is by Really sitting up in the canter and really having him upto the bridle, and keeping my reins short and slightly wide so I can really tunnel him into the fence. It means I can kind of ride every stride and have control of where his shoulders are. If you speed into them everything happens quicker, so you have less control of where their shoulders are.... hope that makes sense?!

 

[ChestnutMonty]

Sometimes it can be easier to trot into fences like these - as long as its a forward going trot - as you can be more accurate gives you a little bit more time to set up and hold her. Then once you have a bit more success then canter and do lots of work at home

 

[sarah23]

I am glad you asked about skinnys. I hate them, my horses are great over any other fence i point them at but skinnys and a big fat NO unless i trot into them. That is my home work for this winter loads of training over narrow jumps. Glad i am not the only one how has problems.

 

[Starbucks]

I'm called Sarah too - must just be a Sarah thing!